Battery



Jun@ 23, 1936.

H. G. Tx-{onfuvsom- ET An:

BATTERY Filed Nov. 6, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet l ,ofen

ie/'r ATTORNEYS June 23, 1936. H. G. THOMPSON a1- AL f 2,044,923

BATTERY l Filed Nov. e, 1930 4 sheets-sheet 2 eww-57 4930 25 5149 I9 3.949, 5] i j? 1\lllll\l I\,\ l

June 23, 1936* Y H. G. THoMPsoN ET Al. 2,044,923

BATTERY Filed NOV. 6, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 y Meh -rroRNEYs- June 23; 1936.- H. G. THOMPSON ET Al. 2,044,923

BATTERY Filed Nov. e, -1930 4 sheets-sheet 4` Patented .lune 23, 1936 unirse STATES I -BATTEBY Harrison G. Thompson, Montclair, and Dow B.

Hughes, Union City,

J., assgnors t Le @arbone Co., Gennevilliers, Seine, France, a

corporation oi!l France Application November 6, 1930, Serial No. 493,782

Claims. (Cl. 13G-86) The present invention relates to an. electric battery cell and more especially to a primary battery adapted for. long and relatively heavy duty on either open or closed-circuits.

lt has been common in theart in batteries 'using carbon and zinc elements to construct the zinc element of substantially uniform thickness without regard to its mechanical strength as rel lated to the shapes which the zinc undergoes lil during its consumption while the cell is being used on a closed circuit. These old forms of uniform thickness have resulted in the zines being rendered useless before the chemical solution has reached its limit of useful life.

Another great diiculty which has been encountered with the Acells of these prior art batterles has been the inefficient sealing of the cell against creeping salts from the electrolyte.

These salts creep over the battery elements and 2o through joints in the cell so that the salts from the solution are lost and the creepage may reach an extent where the operation of the cell is seriously impaired. This is a particularly serious problem 'where the batteries are subjected to agitation as where they may be used for marine bfuoys or other work, such as on moving vehicles on land or in Water or air where the electrolyte sortion is agitated and slopped around inside the ce 3o i Where a carbon element is used in a primary battery, this element may become polarized by hydrogen freed adjacent to the carbon element and it is a serious problem in the art to remove or prevent this polarization action. Heretofore it has been impossible to secure a battery of the carbon-zinc type having suilcient capacity and Arate of discharge to act efficiently for such service as railway signals and similar service which may be a substantially closed or intermittent circuit. Ordinarily, railway signal batteriesv utilize chemical depolarizers which are objectionable for several reasons. The battery comprising the present invention has no such chemical depolarization, since the positive element is substantially pure charcoal, but uses the elements of the atmosphere in such a manner as to automatically depolarize the carbon. In order that this depolarizing action shall be effective and the carbon maintained in elcient condition the positive electrode is constructed of carbon which has been rendered impermeable to liquids, for example, by a process set forth in patent to'Oppenheim 1,574,845, dated March 2, 1926, or patent to Oppenheim 1,574,844 dated March 2, 1926, or

any other suitable process.

stantially impervious to liquids.

The battery comprising the present invention overcomes the diculties of the old art and is designed more especially for long continued use on either open or closed circuits without requiring frequent inspection, The present battery is particularly adapted for roadway or railway signal work and for other services requiring heavy duty fora primary battery.

The present invention comprises a carbon element and a Zinc element with an alkaline electrolyte, preferably comprising caustic soda in solution. The carbon element is preferably a short tubular member of porous carbon with the upper end exposed to atmosphere and protected against any contact with the electrolyte or other liquids in the cell. soft mass of fine granular carbon which transmits gases through its mass but which is sub- The immersed surface of the carbon is in contact with the electrolyte which merely wets the surface of the carbon,.lwhile the upper end surface of the carbon is exposed to the atmosphere, and the oxygen from the atmosphere penetrates the carbon and combines with nascent hydrogen molecules, released in the electrolyte adjacent to the surface of the carbon to form water. This prevents the formation of substantial amounts of hydrogen gas bubbles on the surface of the carbon, and thereby obviates polarization of the battery. The upper end of the carbon element is protected by a jacket comprising a tube of polished hard rubber cemented to the carbon by a cement which prevents any creeping of the electrolyte or other Aliquids between the jacket and the carbon. 'Ihis jacket performs a number of functions, one of which is to prevent any oil which may be placed on the surface of the electrolyte from reaching the carbon. It also prevents the electrolyte from being slopped over and covering the upper end of the carbon and likewise prevents any free hydrogen which may be formed below the jacket from coming in contact with the upper part of The carbon member is a the carbon and being absorbed Vthereby. Any

hydrogen gas which is not combined with the oxygen, Vas specied, ows upwardly over the smooth jacket and out into the cell above the liquid therein and escapes to the atmosphere. This hard rubber jacket is preferably formed of a rubber which is substantially free from sulphur and which is inert to any chemical action with caustic soda electrolyte.

The zinc element `of the battery comprises a removable ring Imember which is rigidly and fixedly secured in position in the upper part of the cell and around the carbon element. This zinc member has a cross section comprising a relatively thin lower edge which curves upwardly to a thick upper edge. The cross section of this zinc member is determined by plotting across' sections of uniform thickness zincs which 'are eaten away during the operationof the battery on a closed circuit. 'I'his was determined care.

fully by using narrow zinc rings submerged at different depths in the electrolyte, with each ring in a separate circuit through a milliammeter. This novel zinc member, when introduced into the battery, is of such cross section that it retains its mechanical strength, while being consumed by chemical actions of the electrolyte when the battery is in operation on a closed circuit,

up until such time that the active chemical partr of the electrolyte is substantially exhausted. This results in an eicient disposition of the zinc metal so that the mechanical advantages of support and strength of the zinc give it a life which is the full equivalent of the useful life of the electrolyte. This enables the battery to be used a relatively long period of time without replacement or inspection in severe service where the cell is subjected to mechanical shocks and vibration.

The zinc and carbon elements of the battery are supported beneath and carried by a top member of the cell comprising a supporting top of porcelain or other insulating material. This porcelain top member is provided with breathing openings to admit atmosphere to the upper end of the carbon, which upper end of the carbon is protected by means of the hard rubber jacket, and a suitable gasket sealed against the porcelain top in such manner as to prevent any liquid reaching the top of the carbon while at the same time providing a slight air space between the upper end of the carbon and the top so that the whole top of the carbon is in contact with the atmosphere. This construction permits the oxygen from the air to easily and freely penetrate the carbon -to the zone where the 'carbon and electrolyte meet, and where the oxygen combines with the freed nascent hydrogen. This action of the oxygen passing through the carbon is herein termed breathing.

The zinc element is used up more rapidly than the carbon element, since the carbon is not consumed but .is emcient until it becomes clogged orfouled, and the zinc element is therefore mounted by supports secured to the insulator top in such manner that the zinc element may be easily removed vwithout disturbing the connections through the insulator top, so that the worn out z'inc may be easily replaced by a-new one. Since the effective life of the carbon, limited by the time when the carbon becomes clogged `or fouled, is several times that of the zinc elements, removable indicators of zinc replacements are provided on the top of the carbon which: indicators are visible and accessible through the breathing openings in the insulator supporting top. The operator removes one indicator each time a zinc is replaced and fresh solution is added, so that these indicators provide a means of determining when the carbon element should be replaced to insure effective operation of the cell. All metal parts in contact with the electrolyte are steel or other metal with which the chemicals do not react.A

Other and further objects of the present inventionwillinpartbeobviousandwillinmtbe carbon and prevent the breathing action.

pointed out hereinafter by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof.

It is recognized that the present invention may be practiced by variations of the disclosure herewith and therefore this disclosure is to be under- 6 stood as illustrating a preferred form of the invention and is not to be considered in the limiting sense.

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through an assembled battery cell in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical elevation of the outside of the battery cell with a portion broken away.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the battery. Fig. 4. is a plan view of the under side of the l5 supporting and sealing top.

Fig. 5 is a detail illustrating a bracket for supporting the zinc element.

, Fig. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the carbon element and the zinc ele'ment spaced apart.-

Fig. '7 is a view illustrating the method of determining the cross section of the zinc member.

Referring now to the drawings and more especially to Fig. 1, a supporting top i is provided with a recess 2 in which the carbon element 4 is mounted. This carbon element 4 is provided with a longitudinal opening 5 through`which a supporting bolt 6 extends. Circular plates 1 and l comprise electrical contact members for the car' bon element with the head of the bolt B contacting with the plate 1 and with a nut 9 contacting with the plate 8 in such manner that when the nut is tightened down, the plates I and 8 tightly clamp the carbon so that it is rigidly supported, and a substantially low resistance contact is made with the carbon. The plate 1 is provided with a hole I0 through which a compound II of an asphaltic base is poured to further support the carbon on the bolt 8, and to seal the opening 5 as shown in the drawings. Before the compound is 40 poured in the bolt 6 is preferably heated to insure a good seal around the bolt. The upper portion of the outside of the-carbon element l is covered and protected by'a sealing jacket I2. This jacket preferably comprises a smooth hard rubber tubu- 40 lar member, free from sulphur or other material that might react with the electrolyte, and is cemented to the carbon with an alkali proof cement in such manner that the cement prevents seepage of any liquid under the protecting jacket. An an- 50 nular solid rubber gasket I4 is cemented to the upper edge of the jacket I2 which extends above the top of the carbon 4 and is also cemented to the carbon in such manner as to provide a hermetic and liquid proof joint between the gasket 5" I4 and the jacket I2. 'I'he sealing compound II. and the jacket I2 thoroughly protect the `upper end lof the carbon element against fouling by oil or other materials so that the. interior carbon mass is free to breathe. The screw threaded upper 6 end of the bolt 6 extends through an opening in the supporting top I. When a nut IB on the said bolt 6 above the top I, is tightened, the carbon 4 is raised upwardly in such manner as to tightly press the rubber gasket I4 against the top I and 65 completely seal the joint between the carbon element and the top so that no liquid or gases may escape from the cell at this juncture. Any liquid or salts on top of the carbonwould seal over the 70 The supportig top l is provided with a pim-nty of breathing openings i8, there being four i1- lustrated, in such manner as to admit atmos. phere to the upper end of the carbon element and 75 of the battery are thoroughly and effectively sealed in such manner that even though the battery be inverted, there is no possibility of leakage of the electrolyte and no danger of the salts from the electrolyte escaping from the interior of the jar. The indicators provided on the upper end of the carbon and which are visible through the breather openings permit inspection of each individual cell to indicate the normal number oi' zinc replacement left before the carbon should be changed to obviate leaving a clogged or fouled carbon in the battery. The mountings for the zinc and the carbon are both rigid and simple so that these elements may be replaced with a minimum amount of disassembly of the cell.

The type or shape of the jar is relatively unimportant so long as the substance of the'container does not react'with the chemicals used and the jar issuiilciently strong for the particular service or the cell. AGrlass jars are well adapted for many types of service.

Where the battery cell is used for railway signal work or other duty wherey the battery remains stationary at all times, the clamping ring and its attended parts together with the gasket between the top cover and the jar may all be omitted, and the oil seal on the electrolyte isl relied upon to prevent evaporation and creepage of the salts from the solution.

Having described our invention, we claim: 1. For a battery having a liquid electrolyte, a

replaceable unit which is self-sealing to the cover-oi.' the battery, comprising; a coherent piece of carbon to be partially immersed in the electrolyte, a protective jacket oi solid inert material closely embracing the upper portion of means permanently attached to said carbonior suspending the carbon from the battery cover, said suspension means extending to the interior of the piece of carbon and being hermetically sealed thereto. I

3. A battery comprising: a cover having a perforated zone and otherwise closed `against the inux of air, a coherent piece ot activated carbon of high porosity suspended from the cover beneath said perforated zone whereby air has access to the carbon, a jacket of solid inert ymaterial embracing the upper portion only of said carbon and hermetically sealed thereto, a body of liquid electrolyte having its upper surface layer spaced from the cover and in contact with said jacket, and an annular seal between said jacket and cover, such annular seal surrounding the perforated zone of the cover and thereby preventing communication between the perforation in the cover and the surface of the electrolyte.

4. A battery comprising: two replaceable pole members, one of which has a longer initial lii'e than the other, and at least one removable indicator attached to the pole member of longer initial life.

5. A battery comprising: a carbon pole member, a zinc pole member, a plurality of removable indicators aflixed to the top of the carbon member, and a cover having open space through which said indicators are visible and removable.

6. A battery comprising: a vessel to hold liquid electrolyte; a cover for the vessel; a carbon pole member supported by and depending from the cover; an insulating sleeve embracing the upper portion of the carbon; an annular zinc pole member surroimding the carbon member in close proximity thereto, the internal diameter of the zinc being different at diierent levels and a minimum adjacent to the to'p of the zinc; supporting means depending from said cover; and

means aixed to the zinc to detachably secure the zinc to said supporting means vwith the top of the zinc positioned higher than the bottom of said insulating sleeve. v

7. For a battery, an annular zinc pole memberA having an external diameter which is substantially constant, and having `an internal diameter which decreases progressively from bottom to top, the rate of suchdecrease being considerably greater in the upper half of the pole member.

8. A battery comprising: a vessel to hold liquid electrolyte; a cover :for the vessel; a carbon pole member supported by and depending from the cover; an insulating sleeve embracing the upper portion of the carbon; an annular zinc pole member surrounding the carbon member in close proximity thereto, the internal diameter of the zinc being different at different levels and a YHARRISON G. THOMPSON. DOW B. HUGHES. 

